The trip was not a regular Metro train service, but a special charter train filled with train enthusiasts celebrating the final run of the old Hitachi model. It is believed the teenagers were alerted to the train's stopping point by some passengers inside. But other commuters were less than impressed with the youths' actions, yelling colourful insults and pouring water over their heads.

One passenger said that the vandals had "more than one accomplice on board", and were phoning each other to give "a progress report". The passenger said the youths "jammed a brick under a train stop to halt it, pulled an air hose at the back to disable the train, then set to work. I applaud the actions of my fellow passengers."